Aibu to think schools cannot win?

[arethereanyleftatall]

So far in the last few weeks, we've had:

'Shouldn't be a nativity play, my dc with small part is bored'
'Should be a nativity play, pc world gone mad'

'Should be an evening performance for working parents'
'Shouldn't be an evening performance, dc too tired'

'Siblings should be allowed, I've got no one to watch them'
'Siblings shouldn't be allowed, too noisy'

' teachers should teach instead of all this paperwork'
' teachers should send letters out to all parents checking their availability for play, and rewrite play as necessary thereafter.'

Anyone got anything else to complain about, during this joyous time of year?

Teachers should always be on hand to take a phone call from a parent (even in class time) oh and teachers should make a slot during the day for parents meetings for those that can't come at night.

Also why did they not get a customised meal at lunch time since they didn't really fancy (not dislike just didn't fancy) the four different options available.

I think sometimes schools feel they can't win and other times parents feel the same to be honest.

YANBU. Schools can never win. I just stopped reading anything with a school/teacher/homework/assembly/play theme to keep my blood pressure down on here.

YANBU.

Schools are constantly saying they want good school/home relationships, and want to liaise well with parents, so they should be prepared for feedback whether it be negative or good. They are probably used to the negative.... Sometimes it's to the schools advantage as when they want to stop doing something they can say "following parental feedback...blah blah blah..we have decided to stop such and such". Of course they can't please everyone and have to take a balanced view.

My personal bugbear is school plays, when there are a few main parts and the rest of the kids sat bored at the sidelines....Im not sure who that benefits, except the kids with big parts get more confident/cocky, and all the rest just get bored.....I know that doesn't happen in all schools, but it does happen in ours. I do feel sorry for the teachers having to put tons of time into school plays etc, but wish they would think of all the children and not just the chosen few.

Must add though that I'm presuming as a result of parental feedback, our school does have it right in terms of times of performances....we have a morning performance, afternoon one, and evening one to choose from, however that does mean the kids have to do it three times and the ones with no significant part (about 90 kids)are well cheesed off by the end if it. Generally think it's common sense in terms of siblings/babies attending. If your baby is making a noise, they are asked to stand outside in the hall so as not to bother the performers /audience.

YANBU.

LOTS of whinges from parents at the moment. I am also feeling like having a moan and so are the children. This is just from this week;

'Tell the dinner ladies he doesn't have to eat his lunch' I don't see them.

I've lost the award badge from last year' Well it wasn't from me and I don't know about them.

'Have you searched the entire classroom for her coat' Well we've looked but funnily enough I have actually been teaching and sorting out behaviour in my break.

'I know X can be naughty but he said he didn't do it'. Well he told me he did when I spent my entire break time getting to the bottom of it.

Moan moan moan. Whinge whinge whinge. Tis the season.

Would be interesting to know how may parents out of say a class of 30 moan or present as pita? Personally I've only ever felt the need to raise something with teachers twice over 12 years, but have often wondered what other parents do? One Mum told me recently she was up at the school "all the time", having it out with teachers, I was shocked.

Has anyone found a school play with 271 speaking parts? No? Thought not!

The problem is, there aren't plays where everyone can have a major part. I now I have re-written plays to add as many extra speaking parts as I can but there has to be a finite number, which means that there will be many children who don't speak.

Goldilocks and the 270 Bears, anyone!

Yes, understand that, but it doesn't need to be the same kids every year getting the main parts.....this year we have the same kids (TA's daughter) getting main part again, when she got it last year too....so we have to sit through another hour's worth of just her talking on stage again, whilst all the other kids are bored. My son has told me he hates it and doesn't want to be in it, but has to, he is in the choir with 90 other kids. What a waste of the last few weeks. If parents can't have some input into getting something like this changed, the world's gone mad.

(You'd think the speaking parts would go to the kids who need a confidence boost rather than the loud confident kids)

Let them enjoy their school days they're soon over!

I've had a parent on the phone today complaining her daughter class had to be taught in a different room and DD didn't like the other classroom

One last week asked if I could find her DS in a crowd of 1000 kids leaving to go home to remind him to get his coat - errr NO

I presume the child whose Mum asked you about the coat was in your class before he left the school along with 1000 kids? So the Mum in question may have thought this was a reasonable request....I would think though perhaps a reminder to the whole class might be more sensible than just one to her child.....perhaps from her point of view he may have come home soaking wet and she has thought "couldn't the teacher just remind them?"

I think parents can't win either sometimes, and often get the Impression teachers think they are the lowest of the low?

Big Parts go to the best kids for reading. A lot of kids wouldn't want to have a big part. Sports and other activities area based on ability. School play shouldn't be any different. At school I was rubbish at art or sport but loved acting and wanted to be an actor when I grew up. A lot of the kids in my class were quite happy with their one or two lines or not saying anything at all.

I don't agree with the "sports are based on ability" argument, as most schools sports days have all kids involved, ie they all get a go.

I can sort of see your point, but still think YABU

DDs school manages to put on a brilliant Christmas play every year and I've never heard anyone moaning about any of the things you talk about. It's just well organised and children get equal parts within their year group.

There will always be the odd difficult parent who moans at the slightest thing, but when many parents moan there is usually a good reason...

My EY classes do the nativity each year and we do it so the reception children all have a moving and speaking part, so all parents are happy and all children get a turn, and the preschool children are the tableau/ animals do always on stage and visible but no pressure to 'perform' when so young. All parents are happy with this and we get positive feedback.

the world's gone mad.

I sense Daily Mail reader?

Mumzypopz

Sure, but when EVERYONE thinks couldn't the teacher just... it adds up to a set of expectations that is unrealistic and unreasonable. 30 kids equals 30 parents asking the teacher to remind their children about their coats, book bags, letters home, to phone home about matters A-F on any given day, to remember to update them on progress in Y, to set homework, to not set homework, to tell Z to go to the toilet, to make sure P has a drink, to check if W has wiped his feet, etc.

There are some really vital parts of being a teacher that come before any of that: safeguarding and teaching and learning. They trump coats and pencil cases.

HopeClearWater.....no actually not Daily Mail reader....and I'm guessing you agree with the rest of my post if you can only pick fault in that short phrase at the end if it?

Trifleorbust..

I'd be totally surprised if 30 parents really are asking the teacher all those things.. but then I've never thought to ask anything like this myself and have perhaps lived in a bubble. Perhaps parents are asking teachers things like this all the time, I have no idea..but then I would have presumed it was a no brainier for a sensible responsible adult to ensure young children don't go out in bad weather without a coat....surely that is the very element of safeguarding? I've actually heard our teachers shout out this very order at the end of the day.

Mumzypopz: I think you would be surprised, yes. And of course it's common sense, but not reminding them doesn't mean the teacher is lacking in common sense. It means he or she is lacking in the time it takes to prioritise everything 30 different parents think should be prioritised. Kids of a certain age are more than capable, of course, of locating their own coats and putting them on if they are cold. When I say 'safeguarding' I mean I am more likely to focus on whether the students are present, leaving with a known adult, have their medication with them, aren't injured or being bullied, etc. You know, the really important stuff.

Why does the TAs daughter get the part?

Because her mum will practise the words with her at home and make sure she speaks slowly and clearly
Because her mum will source a requested costume with no fuss AND bring it in in a named carrier bag on the day specified.
Because she will be in school every day.
Because she will turn up on time to every performance.

Believe me, producing a school play is no joke, if you can reduce the stress by casting people who are not going to add to the stress that is a bonus. I mean, how many West End producers pick a totally unknown, unproven actor to star in a production? Not many!!!

The trouble is because everyone went to school everyone thinks they are an expert on education.

I once watched open heart surgery on casualty. Luckily I don't see myself as qualified to offer opinions on this.